Nollaig le Ciara

Ciara Breen is a singer from Wexford, Ireland, currently studying at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London under the guidance of Mary Wiegold. She began her musical journey at age seven with the Danescastle Music Group, where she sang and played flute, specialising in traditional Irish music. Ciara competed in numerous competitions including Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, Scór, and Siansa, in solo singing, ballad group singing, and Grupa Ceoil.

At the same age, Ciara started classical singing training at The Kiltra School of Music with Angela Mahon. She later joined music theory classes and became a member of The Little Sea Musical Society.

In 2022, Ciara continued her studies at The Purcell School for Young Musicians in London, where she expanded her skills in singing, guitar, music theory, and music technology. During her time at Purcell, she was an active member of the Chamber Choir, performing in major concerts such as Holst’s The Planets at Queen Elizabeth Hall and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 at Southwark Cathedral with the Purcell Symphony Orchestra, as well as various evensongs and church celebrations.

In September 2023, Ciara performed Mozart’s concert aria “Ch’io mi scordi di te?”accompanied by strings and piano obbligato at St Albans Cathedral. She also featured in a song produced and arranged by a fellow Purcell student, which was selected for the Commonwealth Youth Awards held at St James’s Palace.

A passionate folk musician, Ciara has begun performing regularly in the folk scene. Over the summer, she was a guest artist at Camden Stewart’s concert at St John the Evangelist, London, performed at the Phil Murphy Weekend, and held her first solo concert at Colfer’s Pub, joined by Jim Murray, Liam Berry, Caoimhe O’Dwyer, and Alan O’Dwyer.

Born in Chișinău, Moldova, Dominic-Lucian Drutac is a violinist from a musical family. From an early age, he was a member of the Moldovan National Youth Orchestra and has since performed in numerous countries including Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria, Malta, Germany, Portugal, and Georgia.

In 2020, Dominic moved to the United Kingdom to pursue his studies at The Purcell School and the Junior Guildhall in London. As of September 2024, he studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama on a full scholarship, under the tutelage of David Takeno. His education has been generously supported by the Albert Cooper Trust and the Arthur Felsenstein Trust.

Dominic’s notable achievements include winning First Prize at the International Violin Competition "Nedelya Simeonova" in 2019, and being a finalist at the prestigious Lutine Prize Competition in both 2023 and 2024. In 2023, he won First Prize and the Virtuosic Prize for Strings at the New Talent Festival Competition. During his final year at The Purcell School and Junior Guildhall, he served as concertmaster of both the String Ensemble and Symphony Orchestras. In 2025, he participated in the Pan-Caucasian Youth Orchestra at the Tsinandali Festival.

A passionate chamber musician, Dominic has performed at Wigmore Hall on multiple occasions. In the past year, he performed alongside renowned violinists Dmitry Sitkovetskyin Malta and Sumina Studer in London. He was invited to join the Portuguese Youth Orchestra in 2023, where he led the second violins in a baroque-style chamber ensemble.

As a soloist, Dominic performed Brahms’ Double Concerto with the Watford Symphony Orchestra in 2024 and was a winner of The Purcell School Concerto Competition. In July 2024, he performed Sibelius’ Violin Concerto on a fine violin generously loaned by Florian Leonhard Fine Violins.

Iván Cherednichenko Carrillo is a cellist from Cardiff studying at the Royal College of Music with Gemma Rosefield. He began his musical studies at age six in the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, where he studied cello with Andrew Elliott and Kyle Patterson. His final year at the College was marked with winning the concerto competition, performing Elgar’s Cello Concerto, receiving second place in the Intercollegiate Piano Trio Competition, and being awarded the Principal’s Prize for his contributions to the College.

Iván studied at The Purcell School during his sixth form, where he was supported by the Government’s Music and Dance Scheme and studied cello with Pal Banda and Dr. Richard Jenkinson. In his final year he was awarded the Prize for Contemporary Performance and won the School’s sonata competition. During this period, he also studied at the Junior Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he held principal cellist positions, was in the Lutine Prize final in 2023 and 2024, and received the Strings Prize in his final term.

Recent successes include winning the title Gregynog Young Musician of the Year 2023, playing Shostakovich’s Concerto No.2 in The Purcell School’s senior concerto competition final, performing in a chamber music recital at Wigmore Hall, and being awarded top prizes at the 7th New Talent Festival, Scarborough Concerto Competition, Rickmansworth Young Musician 2025 and Pendine Young Musician of Wales 2025, his performance in which was broadcast on BBC Radio Cymru.

Iván has an active interest in chamber music and in April 2024 he performed Mendelssohn’s Octet with Dmitry Sitkovetsky and The Purcell School Chamber Soloists at the opening of the 18th Malta Spring Festival. He has also established a string quartet at the Royal College of Music. As a concert soloist Iván has received engagements from the RWCMD Symphony Orchestra, Chorleywood Orchestra, Cardiff Baroque Orchestra, Dorset County Orchestra and the Scarborough Symphony Orchestra.

Iván plays on the Collin-Mezin “Rothermere” cello loaned to him by The Cherubim Music Trust. More information can be found at www.ivancello.com.